THE ODIUM TOWER
by erin boriiss
Summary: In a final attempt to win Ranma over, Shampoo brings the golden couple over to the Odium Tower, where Ranma and Akane must turn against each other to survive...
1. The Odium Tower

Disclaimer: The characters of Ranma ½ belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Inspiration for this fanfic goes to the book "The Forbidden Game" by LJ Smith.  
  
Please review my work! I hope you enjoy reading this!  
  
===  
  
The young woman smiled in an evil way, holding the package in her arm. She hung easily from the tree, and landed on the roof area above Akane Tendou's room. Then she swung from the trellis with her feet as a hold from falling. She opened Akane's window.  
  
She threw to package carelessly on the table, and her task was over. She closed the window again. Sprung back on the roof.  
  
"Ranma, soon you'll be mine," she whispered darkly.  
  
===  
  
Akane entered, straight from coming home from Furinkan High School. She had just laid her schoolbag on her bed when something on her table caught her eye.  
  
"A package?" Akane Tendou said, looking at her desk in surprise. She rarely got any letters aside from the usual mail consisting of coupons and bargain offers. Yet there it was, on her table, a square crimson box. Akane picked it up to take a look.  
  
'To: Akane Tendou," the top read simply in messy brush strokes. There was no return address. Shrugging, Akane took the package in her hands to examine it. It was very light, as if there were nothing inside. Was this a prank? Her fingers fumbled around the corners. Finally finding the edges of the paper, she tore it away, and she saw that the wrapping had a small note written on the back.  
  
"To Akane," the note read. "I hope you like what I sent you."  
  
The carton box underneath the wrapping was plain white. Akane looked at it, a feeling of apprehension gathering in her stomach. Somehow, she had a bad feeling about opening it. She drew back her chair and sat down before her desk, gathering her nerve.  
  
Of course, there couldn't be anything dangerous in the box. It was just too light. Akane shook it, and no sound came from it. Finally telling herself that she was being ridiculous, she pulled open the box...  
  
And a spray of gray smoke hit her squarely in the face. Akane sat stupefied, more surprised than anything else, and then through the gray haze, she managed to shut the box and fling it across the room. It hit her door squarely, looking utterly harmless.  
  
Akane stood up, breathing heavily. Her eyes ached and were tearing up.  
  
'What was that?!" she thought. 'What did I just inhale?'  
  
Swinging from her desk, she ran to her door and was about to throw it open, when...  
  
'I'm so sleepy,' Akane realized. She brought a hand to her face and yawned. She glanced over to her bed, which looked very inviting and the moment. Staggering slightly, she made her way through the carpeted floor. What was wrong with her? She was tripping over her own two feet to get to the bed.  
  
But she didn't think anything was suspicious about the sudden weariness. As she flopped onto the bed in her complete school uniform, her eyes caught sight of the dark red wrapping paper on her desk.  
  
Then all went black.  
  
===  
  
Akane Tendou woke up seconds later with a start, and couldn't recognize her surroundings. Where was she? She was in a relatively empty room. The room was as large as the Tendou dojo, and just as empty. Everything was washed in white, the walls, ceiling, and floor. The only thing in the room was a small couch in the very center, where Akane had been lying down in.  
  
"Where am I?" Akane breathed, dreading the answer.  
  
"So you're finally awake," came a voice out of nowhere. Akane sat up in surprise. She looked towards the direction of the only door in the room, and saw that there was no one. Then, right before her eyes, a shadow materialized.  
  
Akane jumped up, alarmed. She took her fighting stance.  
  
"What do you want from me?" Akane shouted. She looked at the shadow. It was a silhouette of a tall woman. The shadow had no solid appearance. From the knee down, the blackness gradually faded away into nothing.  
  
The shadow raised her arms.  
  
"Someone read out my scroll and asked me to bring you here," the shadow said patronizingly. Her voice was thin and wispy, as if even the slightest breeze could blow it away.  
  
"Where am I?" Akane demanded. She lowered her arms tentatively, because the shadow didn't seem to have any intention of fighting.  
  
The shadow chuckled. "You're in the Odium Tower," she said. "Every couple that ends up here is faced with severe challenges designed to make them hate each other."  
  
"That's stupid," Akane shouted back angrily. This had to be a dream.  
  
"You're not dreaming," the shadow chuckled, as if it could read her mind. Akane gritted her teeth. "In fact, you can actually die, or be permanently maimed, if you're not careful."  
  
Akane stepped forward and gathered her wits, the hollow feeling in her stomach making her want to throw up.  
  
"How do I get out of here?" she asked sharply.  
  
"Oh," the shadow figure said with a smile in her voice. "It's simple, really. Now, you're in the basement. All you have to do it get past the seven levels of this tower without dying and make it to the rooftop. If you do that without losing your head, then I'll admit my defeat and send you home."  
  
Akane then flexed her arms. "Okay," she said grimly after a pause. "How do I get to the first level?"  
  
The shadow figure seemed to turn and disappear right through the door.  
  
"Ah-ah-ah," the figure's voice came. "This door will open when I say you can proceed to the first floor. But now, we have to wait for your darling Ranma Saotome."  
  
===  
  
END OF CHAPTER  
  
HALU FIRST CHAPTER IS FINISHED... THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN READING THIS, AND I HOPE YOU TAKE A PAUSE TO REVIEW THIS CHAPTER BEFORE YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SO THAT I CAN IMPROVE IT. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS! REMEMBER TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK... OH YOU CAN ALSO E-MAIL ME IF YOU WANT:  
  
AT: tsinoyeyesyahoo.com 


	2. Enter Ranma Saotome

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
===  
  
CHAPTER 2: ENTER RANMA SAOTOME  
  
Ranma Saotome rapped on Akane Tendou's door.  
  
"Akane," he said. "Kasumi wanted me to call you for dinner.  
  
He turned to continue walking down the hall. Akane didn't reply. Ranma glanced back over his shoulder.  
  
"Akane?" he asked. He knocked on the door again. There was no sound. "Hey, it's dinner," Ranma repeated. There was still no noise, and he didn't sense any movement in the room. After hesitating, Ranma opened the door a crack. It was dark, considering there were was no light and it was late evening.  
  
When his eyes had adjusted, he saw that she was sleeping in bed, still in her complete school uniform. Ranma turned on the light switch.  
  
"Hey," Ranma said, making his way to the bed. He reached out to poke Akane's cheek. "Wake up, un-cute tomboy," he said, enjoying his moment of poking at Akane without her pounding him to the ground.  
  
Akane didn't stir. Ranma shook her shoulder. Her breathing didn't even slow down. He shook her shoulder again more roughly. When there was no reaction whatsoever, he started to become concerned.  
  
"Hey," Ranma said again. After wavering, he leaned in so that he could be closer to Akane's face.  
  
"Un-cute tomboy!" Nothing. "UN-CUTE TOMBOY!" Nothing again.  
  
Only then did Ranma notice the packaging paper on her table. The dark red crimson wrapping shone dully in the fluorescent light of Akane's room. He caught sight of the sloppy lettering on the paper, and neared to read it. After he did, he laid the paper back on the table and looked around.  
  
Where was the package? He surveyed the room, and his eyes came to rest on the thrown box close to the door. He approached it, and picked it up. But the box had to be empty. It was too light to be holding anything solid.  
  
With a slight feeling of apprehension, he opened the box... a sour- smelling gray smoke came at him. Choking, Ranma immediately threw the box towards the direction of the window.  
  
He staggered backwards... and slumped against the door.  
  
He closed his eyes to sleep.  
  
===  
  
Moments later, Ranma Saotome opened his eyes, fully alert. He was lying down on a tacky white couch. When he looked around, he saw that Akane was sitting cross-legged on the white floor beside the couch, facing away from him.  
  
"Akane," Ranma said. She jumped at the sudden sound of his voice. She looked over her shoulder at him. The whitewashed room was giving him a headache. Everything glowed and was illuminated, though there was no sign of any lamp or lighting.  
  
"Ranma, you're here," Akane said. The concern in her voice made his gut start to turn in apprehension.  
  
"Where are we?" Ranma asked in a low voice. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Akane told him everything that had happened when she'd woken up. Ranma listened without interruption. They sat in silence when she was finished.  
  
"Finally, the two of you are here," came a familiar, thin wisp of a voice. Akane stiffened and glanced around, but the shadowy being didn't appear. "Now the fun can begin."  
  
Akane jumped up from where she had been sitting on the floor, her fists clenched. Ranma sprang from the couch and landed beside Akane. The two stared at the ceiling, where the voice was seemingly coming from. Akane opened her mouth to speak.  
  
"You're wrong about us!" she said. She jabbed a finger at Ranma. "We have no feelings whatsoever for each other!"  
  
"Y-Yeah," Ranma said, taking her lead. There was a brief silence afterwards. The two strained their ears for the answer.  
  
"That's not what my client seems to think," said the voice. "If you reach the rooftop alive, then I will admit my defeat and send you back. Of course, by that time, the two of you will be burning with a consuming hatred for each other, guaranteed. And it's another possibility that you two will die trying to reach the top."  
  
The wooden door at the end of the room swung open abruptly. Ranma and Akane jumped. They could see that there was a steep oak staircase leading up. The voice snickered, as if the thought of the two of them struggling was amusing.  
  
"As you know, you are now in the basement. There are seven floors in all, of which you must go through to proceed to the next. For each level that you complete, I will give you a prize. I do have a heart, you know. So here's an item before you go on to the first floor."  
  
The voice had been fading away slowly, and by the time the last sentence was uttered, it had disappeared completely. At the same time, an object materialized in front of the wooden steps. Hesitantly, Akane and Ranma approached to take a look at it.  
  
"A dagger?" Akane asked, picking it up to take a look. She unsheathed it. The blade was one foot long, and a finger's width wide. The metal was very well sharpened at one side; clearly very sharp. The hilt and sheath were made of smooth marble.  
  
"You keep it," Ranma said after he'd examined it himself. "You might need it."  
  
"...Okay," Akane said hesitantly. She sheathed the dagger and put it in her right school uniform pocket. Her pocket was very deep, and the dagger fit with only the hilt sticking out. Ranma watched her put away the dagger. Akane straightened up.  
  
The two proceeded up the flight of stairs, Akane leading the way. At the end of the stairs, they came across another oaken door with a brass knob. She reached out to turn the knob, but Ranma grabbed her arm. He shook his head apprehensively. He looked towards the door, his usual confidence dampening. He was well prepared to take any challenge that might be behind the door, but with someone else to look after...  
  
"Let me do it," Akane said stubbornly. "There might be something dangerous on the other side."  
  
'Which is exactly the point,' Ranma thought to himself, bristling. He braced himself to open it himself. But before he could stop her, Akane had reached out with her other hand and turned the knob. Ranma moved over in front of her, pushing her out of the way.  
  
There was a hollow metallic click as the latch gave way and the door swung open...  
  
===  
  
END OF CHAPTER  
  
FINALLY RANMA MAKES HIS ENTRANCE, AND THE STORY CAN GO UNDER WAY... PLEASE REVIEW MY WORK AFTER EVERY CHAPTER IF POSSIBLE SO THAT I CAN IMPROVE IT. IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME IF YOU'D TAKE TIME TO COMMENT ON MY WORK. YOU CAN ALSO E-MAIL ME PERSONALLY IF YOU WANT...  
  
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	3. The Ring of Truth

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi  
  
===  
  
FIRST FLOOR: THE RING OF TRUTH  
  
The door swung open swung open, and the two teens took in the scene before them. They were in a room about the size of the Tendo dojo, decorated in the tacky manner of the 50's. Thick red wallpaper lined all sides of the walls, and the floor was carpeted with a thick red mat of the same color.  
  
"Where are we?" Akane Tendou asked in wonder as they stepped in the room. They surveyed the room in dumbfounded silence. The only furnishings were two podiums in the very center, facing each other. A large projector screen was splayed against the wall on one side, in view with the podiums.  
  
Ranma Saotome stood in after his fiancé and took a look at the room with a feeling of uneasiness. The door behind them slammed shut, and the two whirled around. The door had disappeared into the wall. They were surprised to see a piece of paper tacked onto the wall, as large as a small novel.  
  
"Look, it's a note," Akane said. She tore it off the wall and took it in her fingers to read it out loud.  
  
"WELCOME TO FIRST FLOOR. I AM THE RING OF TRUTH. TODAY, THE TWO OF YOU WILL BE LEARNING TO CONFRONT YOUR THOUGHTS TOWARDS EACH OTHER."  
  
There was nothing else. She flipped the paper over to make sure she didn't miss anything. With great apprehension, she looked up to stare into Ranma's face. His expression mirrored her own.  
  
"WELCOME!" A booming voice suddenly came, seemingly out of nowhere. Akane and Ranma whipped around facing the direction of the podiums, arms raised in fighting stances.  
  
"YOU WILL BE COMING INTO TERMS WITH WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OTHER," the voice said. It was patronizing and gracious, that of a gameshow host. "NOW, IF YOU'D PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUMS..."  
  
Akane clenched her fist.  
  
"Ranma," she said quietly. "Let's go."  
  
Without another word, the two approached the fancy podiums. The platform rose a foot above the carpeted floor. It was made of pure platinum. As soon as they had taken their places on the stands, Akane on the left and Ranma on the right, the whole room darkened.  
  
Beams shot out from the ceiling and landed on each of the two. Akane started to sweat. She was starting to have a very bad feeling about this whole thing. Directly across her, she saw Ranma looking at her in barely concealed concern.  
  
"ALL RIGHT," the Ring of Truth said from the ceiling, his voice heavily laden with cream and honey. "EACH OF YOU HAS YOUR MICROPHONES... THIS IS HOW THE GAME WORKS. AN IMAGE WILL BE DISPLAYED ON THIS STATE-OF-THE- ARK SYSTEM SCREEN. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GIVE YOUR REACTION TO WHAT'S DISPLAYED."  
  
'It sounds easy enough,' Akane thought nervously, bringing her hands up to rest it on the podium. She gripped the shiny metal microphone in her hands. From the other side of the podium, Ranma's hands were on the podium as well, knuckles white.  
  
As soon as the Ring of Truth finished his last sentence, the theater screen sputtered to life. The beams flickered out, so that it was the only source of illumination in the room. Ranma and Akane looked on in confusion as it showed the exterior of a large stone building. The scene zoomed in, to look inside.  
  
They both started to sweat as they realized that they now viewed their wedding. The couple stood in front of the minister, gazing into each other's eyes. Ranma was in a western suit, his ponytail neatly hanging down his back. The dark blue of the suit emphasized his striking sapphire eyes.  
  
He was so breathtakingly handsome... Akane felt her heart skipping beats.  
  
And Akane was in her wedding attire, a snow-white long-sleeved gown that wrapped below the shoulders and fell to her feet. Her shiny dark hair had been brought up away from her face, held by the wedding veil.  
  
She was so stunningly beautiful... Ranma's heart pounded harder.  
  
And then it happened. The images on the screen became muted, and the voice spoke up again, once so gracious, was now mocking.  
  
"THE GOLDEN COUPLE IS GETTING MARRIED," it said in an amused tone. "BUT THE GROOM IS NOT EVEN A REAL MAN. HE'S A HALF-WOMAN."  
  
A deafening silence.  
  
'Oh, god,' Akane thought faintly. Her heart gave a sickening lurch. She wanted desperately to look at Ranma, but the beams were out, and the theatrical screen had become to dim for her to see his face. She turned to jump out of the podium to run to him, but realized that there was a thick platinum barrier blocking her way. She could not get out.  
  
From his own podium, Ranma was clenching the microphone, shaking in rage. His face burned with shame. He was glad that the lights were off. He knew that he wouldn't have been able to look Akane in the eye, not after his manhood had been questioned so insultingly.  
  
Akane felt her own anger brewing. She leaned forward into the built in microphone before her.  
  
"Th-That's not fair!" she shouted at the ceiling. "What does this have to do about anything?! What's the use of this stupid exercise?!"  
  
"IS SHE DEFENDING HER FIANCE?" the voice asked genially, back to his game-show host tone. "DOES THE FACT THAT YOUR FIANCE TURNS INTO A GIRL MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?"  
  
Ranma heard the challenge and felt his face burn again. He waited for Akane's answer... but she was hesitating. She was wavering. Something in Ranma broke down and crashed into his insides.  
  
"O-Of course it doesn't!" Akane shouted finally. "His curse isn't his fault!"  
  
But the hesitation had already been there, and everyone in the room had heard it.  
  
"SUCH AFFABLE WORDS," the voice said. Akane withered. "AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS?"  
  
The voice quieted down again, and the screen flickered back to its usual brightness. On the screen came a familiar scene that had taken place some months before. Akane immediately recognized the school field, and a scene played before their eyes...  
  
===  
  
HELOW AGAIN. I PUT THE SCENE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. PLEASE TELL ME IF EVERYTHING IS DRAGGING A BIT OR IF IT'S MOVING TOO FAST OR WHATEVER! PLEASE COMMENT!  
  
OR EMAIL: tsinoyeyesyahoo.com 


	4. The Shame of Defeat

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
THIS IS SOMETHING LIKE A CONTINUATION OF THE LAST CHAPTER, WHERE THE SCREEN FLICKERS TO LIFE AND THE RING OF TRUTH SHOWS AKANE AND RANMA SOMETHING THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE MONTHS BEFORE...  
  
===  
  
...THE SCREEN ON THE WALL BRIGHTENED AND GLOWED...  
  
===  
  
"Good luck, Akane," her buoyant teammate said, patting Akane on the back. They were in the school soccer field, about to commence the intramurals. Akane nodded. She looked to the bleachers, where Mr. Saotome, Nabiki, and her father sat. She waved to them.  
  
Mr. Saotome waved back, shading his eyes with another hand. Nabiki stood up, collecting bets for the intramural games. Akane shifted her eyes to her father. He grinned and gave her a two-thumbs up.  
  
'It's been more than ten years since my father told me he'd wanted a son,' Akane thought as she went to the end of the field to where the track- and-field warm-ups were taking place. 'But I'll show him that I'm just as good as a son. I've been training for weeks. I'm going to beat all the boys here in this running meet!"  
  
She flexed her legs in her red running shorts and loose yellow t- shirt, surveying her competitors in an unconcerned manner. There were some guys from her class, and some girls, too. Everyone's face was set in a resolute expression, as if they were prepping themselves to win. Akane felt her own face set in determination. There was no way.  
  
She would be the victor of this race. It was a one-shot race, and the winner would be declared champion of the track-and-field team. What other way to make her father proud? She'd been running around Nerima far too much over the past two months to lose.  
  
A shrill whistle sounded in the distance, and all of them looked up. An announcer sat at the far end of the podium, set in the center of the field. He sat before a large desk, with a microphone set in the center. The crowd in the bleachers quieted down, and those standing took their seats.  
  
"The track-and-field meet is about to begin!" the announcer said through the microphone. "The runners will have to complete four laps around the school field! The winner will be awarded a gold medal! Participants, to your places!"  
  
Akane exhaled and then stepped up to her place. She crouched down low. Before her, she could see the dirt grounds of Furinkan High School. Each second gained and maintained counted. Wouldn't it be wonderful to win by a solid minute or two?  
  
The gun fired.  
  
Akane bolted up from her position. In a few seconds, she was one of the few who had pulled away from the group. Akane kept her focus forward, concentrating only on where she was going and maintaining her lead. When they passed by the bleachers, Akane spared a look, and was rewarded with the cheers of her family. Her heart soared. This was her day.  
  
She increased her speed.  
  
By the time the third lap had come around, most of the participants had fallen behind, panting. Akane had to admit that the field was really huge. She seemed to be rounding a square kilometer. From the corner of her eye, Akane realized that another rival was keeping up with her pace steadily.  
  
The two of them were the leaders of the pack. Her neck snapped to her right to see whom it was. Her jaw dropped open.  
  
"Ranma!" she said before she could stop herself. He'd never mentioned joining the race, yet there he was, running steadily beside her, not breaking a sweat. She, on the other hand, was sweating loads. He glanced her way, grinning.  
  
"Hey, Akane," he said. "I didn't know you were joining this competition. Nabiki is placing all her money no my victory over this race."  
  
Akane could only stare at him in horror. No. No way. She'd waited for this day since she was five, to make her father see that she was just as good as a son. And now, everything could be ruined.  
  
"So," Ranma continued. "See 'ya!" He picked up the pace, shooting a good few feet in front of her.  
  
Akane gritted her teeth and increased her own speed. The two were no longer sprinting, or jogging. They were running at the same speed a person should run for his life. She leveled with him. Ranma looked at her in surprise, and then smirked.  
  
"Was that a challenge?" he asked. They were about to begin the fourth and final lap.  
  
Akane gritted her teeth. This was more than a stupid race. This was her redemption to make up for being a daughter instead of a son. She wanted to open her mouth to speak, but she didn't want to disrupt her steady breathing rhythm. Instead, she increased her pace just a little, so that she was ahead of Ranma.  
  
'Please don't...' Akane thought desperately as she listened to Ranma's nimble footsteps behind her own. Her feet now barely touched on the ground before moving on to the next step. 'Ranma, idiot, don't-!"  
  
He pulled up beside her, and threw a grin at her direction. He saw the fierce determination written all over her face, and smiled and her spirit. He had pulled up beside her... And overtook her completely. He was now in front of her, leaning his body forward to gain more velocity.  
  
No. Akane leaned forward as well, and pumped her legs. Her legs were now aching with exertion. The side of her stomach burned, and sweat threatened to enter her eyes. But she was ahead of Ranma. There was no other concern.  
  
They continued on this way for a while longer, Akane slightly forward. Everything was passing by in a blur. Dimly, she could hear the announcer's voice coming with an awed tone. But Akane didn't concern herself with anything except her lead, and the red blur at her side.  
  
Then... there it was, the finish line, looming in the distance. The bright neon red taping was the only completely concrete object in her line of vision. The crowd's cheers roared in her ears and were replaced with a high, tinny sound. It was only a few meters away...  
  
And the pesky red blur shot up with amazing speed. Ranma had managed to overtake her by a few feet, just two meters from the finish line.  
  
'Oh, god,' Akane thought. 'Ranma...STOP!'  
  
With a final attempt, Akane's last step was no longer a run. It was a desperate lunge to take hold of the finish line. She could see it so clearly... just before her eyes, just before her hands...  
  
Her sweat-drenched arms reached out... and fell on air.  
  
Ranma had won the race. He'd torn the rope. Akane's fall back into reality felt like a plane-crash. She had seen her destination with the most extreme clarity, only to have it roaring down before her eyes. The crowd's cheers were deafening. Akane realized that she had fallen on her knees.  
  
Did she...? There was no way, right...?  
  
She looked up with dazed eyes, and saw vividly, Ranma smiling triumphantly, his arms raised in the air towards the bleachers. The announcer's voice went from a faint whine in her head to a full-blast scream:  
  
"And the winner is Ranma Saotome of class 2-F!!"  
  
At that, the crowd's cheers seemed to double. Akane could only shake her head. She'd been so certain. She'd have beaten all the boys in the team... Her father would have been so proud...  
  
There was just no...way...  
  
Ranma grinned to himself. There was nothing like the feeling of winning a match. Of course, Akane had done a pretty good job herself. She'd managed to make him break into a sweat.  
  
She was on the grounds on her knees, a few feet away from him. Her hair was in complete disarray around her pale face. He pumped his fists towards the bleachers, then looked at first runner up.  
  
His pleased smirk met her dazed eyes. She stared up at him...  
  
And her face crumpled. Her eyes filled with tears and they spilled over the corners. They rolled down her cheeks, big unhappy tears. Ranma could only stare in horror. Akane roughly planted her hands flat on the ground and hauled herself up. Her knees were bloody from the dive.  
  
She started to stagger backwards, and Ranma instinctively drew near to support her. Her head snapped up with a look so filled with loathing, with contempt, and infinite sadness that Ranma stopped in his tracks.  
  
"A-Akane..." Ranma faltered.  
  
She turned on her heel to leave.  
  
===  
  
The screen dimmed again, and Akane could only stare. Yes, she had remembered very clearly that fateful day which caused her to ignore Ranma and Nabiki for more than a month.  
  
===  
  
OKAY, END OF MOVIE!!! PLEASE REVIEW MY WORK! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOURSELF, AND THANK YOU FOR READING MY FANFIC!! PLEASE INFORM ME IF EVERYTHING IS GETTING A LITTLE CONFUSING... DON'T FORGET TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF IT!   
  
EMAIL ME: tsinoyeyesyahoo.com 


	5. When the Truth Hurts

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi  
  
AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN IN THE FIRST FLOOR, WHEN THE SCENE HAS JUST FINISHED PLAYING...  
  
===  
  
Akane felt the long-forgotten feeling of and resentment boiling up inside her again. After all her hard work! And she'd wanted so badly to win...Yet Ranma still ran past her to defeat her...  
  
"YES," the voice murmured from above. "YOU DO REMEMBER."  
  
Ranma felt his shame double. He'd had no idea... When he had been running in the race, all he'd concentrated on was running forward, but looking at the movie, he'd seen how broken Akane had looked as she'd crumpled to the ground. The movie revolved mainly around Akane, and he was now able to see the pain her defeat had caused.  
  
"YOUR FATHER WOULD HAVE BEEN SO PROUD," the voice continued. Akane's and Ranma's heads snapped up in surprise.  
  
"NOW," the voice continued. "WHAT CAN YOU TWO SAY FOR YOURSELVES?"  
  
The screen on the wall flickered into complete blackness, and the harsh beams were on again. They fell on both Ranma's and Akane's heads. Ranma looked at Akane, unable to look her directly in the eye because of his embarrassment. Akane, on the other hand, seemed to be having trouble coping with the renewed shame of her defeat.  
  
"A-Akane..." Ranma said through the microphone. He wished they were closer...The podiums were so far apart and imposing... "You should have told me..."  
  
Akane felt her shame give way to a slow anger.  
  
"It was so obvious that I'd wanted to win!" she whispered harshly into the microphone. "I wanted to win for the sake of making my father proud! You won for the sake of an ice cream cone!"  
  
Ranma felt his own embarrassment simmer into a slow anger.  
  
"You could have given me a sign!" he retorted. "All you did was run faster and faster! You KNOW I can easily outrun you!"  
  
Akane felt stung. Although she knew it in her heart, she hated to admit it, even to herself. She glared at him over the rise of the podium.  
  
"You think you're BETTER than me?!" she demanded. "Come on, let's fight seriously for once!"  
  
"Ha!" Ranma shot back, jabbing a finger into the air to point at her damningly. "You're going to lose! You're way too small to be taken seriously!"  
  
That was the last straw. Akane slammed her fists on the cool counter of the podium.  
  
"Oh yeah?!" she shouted. "Then just change into a GIRL! That's what you're best at, right?!"  
  
The tears on her face surprised herself more than anyone else. She took note of the shocked and hurt expression on Ranma's face, and immediately wished that she hadn't said what she did. She blinked the oncoming stream back, feeling angry. She hadn't meant it to come out so harshly.  
  
"I'm not going to listen to a slow-witted, self-centered, UGLY, pathetic tomboy!" Ranma shouted back. Angry tears burned behind his eyelids. He held them back.  
  
And so the two of them stared at each other through blurred vision, shaking in vexation and frustration. Since when had things gone so out of control that they were sticking knives into each other's backs? Underneath the boiling anger was an infinite sadness and desperation to be forgiven. And yet...  
  
This was the moment the Ring of Truth had been waiting for.  
  
Everything was engulfed in complete darkness. There was a momentary calm, then Akane felt the podium fading away below her feet. She heard Ranma gave a small expression of surprise across her, and knew that his own podium had faded into nothingness.  
  
They both landed on the carpeted floor. The room lit up all at once, bathing everything in a harsh yellow.  
  
"HOW SAD," the voice said, clearly amused and enjoying himself. "NOW WE GO ON TO THE MAIN PART OF THE SHOW."  
  
===  
  
YIPPEE! END OF CHAPTER! FOR ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE REVIEW MY WORK! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN READING THIS, AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOURSELF.  
  
E-MAIL ME: tsinoyeyesyahoo.com 


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